explaining that Mexicans are not taking away jobs from Americans. His poem So Mexicans Are Taking Jobs from Americans (p. 1002) is filled with irony. Baca, who has strong beliefs on the issue of Mexican employment in America, ironically pretends to take the position of a simpleton. He asks how Mexicans take jobs away from Americans. He asks if they come on horses with rifles (lines 1-2) or put a knife at an Americans throat saying, I want your job (line 11). The absurdity of his questions ironically reflects the absurdity of the notion that Mexicans are taking away American jobs. As the poem progresses Baca unexpectedly switches from his sarcastic point of view to a harsh criticism of elitist white Americans. His use of irony in the beginning of his poem, however, is a clever tool in opening the mind of the reader. The first two stanzas of his poem are essential in providing a basis for his criticisms. The use of irony allows Braca to achieve that base in only two stanzas. Having to explain his point of view without being offensive could become extremely lengthy. Irony is an effective literary tool to concisely and to inoffensively state controversial beliefs. It is used in many ways by both short story authors and poets to convey complex messages and beliefs in a succinct manner. It is one of the main devices used by writers to write effective and powerful short stories and poems.The short story and the poem are two complex literary genres. They astoundingly deliver complete and multilevel stories and ideas in a notably small amount of words. Both works achieve these goals with the assistance of first person point of view, metaphor, symbolism and irony. All short stories and poems, of course, dont use all of the aforementioned devices. Still, these literary tactics are consistently seen throughout short stories and poems. Some authors use all of the devices in one work while others dont use any at all. Similar methods can also be used ...
